AC/DC Delayed By Illness

Johnson is hopeful that the group will be able to reconnect and hit the studio sometime this year. "It's a wonderful thing when we get in a room," says Brian. "Whenever the boys get back together, I get all excited. The boys, after a while, pick the guitars up, Phil [Rudd] will make his way to the drums, Cliff [Williams] will pull his bass out and then all of a sudden this noise comes out and I sit there with just this big old grin on my face." more on this story

RIP Riot Guitarist Mark Reale

(Rock News Desk) Riot guitarist and founder Mark Reale has died after a near lifelong battle against Crohn's Disease.

The last remaining founding member of the band was rushed to hospital on January 11 following a brain haemorrhage. He'd been in a coma ever since and passed away without regaining consciousness.

Last week the band told how Reale wasn't well enough to play on their upcoming album, saying "Guitarist Mike Flyntz recorded a major portion of the guitars on the album with Mark's creative direction while he was unable to perform."

He collapsed while rehearsing for a brief run of live shows, which the band went on to play without him while asking fans for prayers. more on this story

Van Halen Top Billboard Chart

(hennemusic) Van Halen's new single, "Tattoo," has hit #1 on Billboard's Hard Rock Singles chart.

The track also earns the title of #1 Most Played Song at Classic Rock Radio in its first week and the #1 Most Added song at Mainstream and Active Rock Radio.

Since its January 10 release, "Tattoo" has been played on more than 160 stations across the States. more on this story

Slipknot and Slayer To Lead Mayhem Festival

The rumor is true; Slipknot is set to head-up the 2012 Mayhem Festival with metal heavyweights Slayer playing the second slot and a to-be-announced big name act filling the third slot.

The second stage will be feature Anthrax, The Devil Wears Prada, Asking Alexandria, As I Lay Dying, and Whitechapel when the 26 date North American tour kicks off on June 30th in San Bernardino, Ca. As for the special guest taking third slot, it won't be officially announced until March 5th but our news partner Banana1015.com speculates that the additional act will be Motorhead.

Members of Slipknot and Slayer reacted to the announcement. Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor said "You knew we'd be back. Now, you know we're coming. This will be a tour people will scarcely want to miss. It will definitely be a show to remember. Can't wait to see the states again from behind a mask." more on this story

Blink-182 Working On Next Album

(Gibson) Although Blink-182 have been on a break since their summer tour, and the release of their new record Neighborhoods, the band have designs on their next record. Bassist Mark Hoppus said that while guitarist Tom DeLonge has been touring with side project Angels and Airwaves, he's been putting together new songs.

"I'm sure these will all be Blink songs at the moment," Hoppus told Kerrang! "I don't have any plans to write songs with anybody else right now. If I do, it'll be a collaboration or a one-off thing, but everything I'm writing right now is for Blink-182."

Hoppus said that the songs are in the early stages and likely will change plenty when the entire band begins working on them. "It's really too early to tell. At the moment all I've got is a bunch of chord progressions and ideas," he said. "It's more me playing my guitar and coming up with little ideas and melodies. By the time it goes to Tom and Travis [Barker] and we work on it as a band, who knows what it will sound like." more on this story

Steel Panther Banned

(hennemusic) In a move that's sure to help the band sell more (music, tickets, merchandise, etc.), a poster promoting Steel Panther's "Balls Out" album has been banned in the UK.

XFM London reports the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the country's independent regulator of advertising across all media, has deemed the poster art – the "Balls Out" cover - unsuitable for public display.

The ad attracted a number of complaints to the ASA, including one from Imkaan, a charity for women from ethnic backgrounds who have been victims of abuse and violence. The charity said the ad was offensive because it was demeaning to women and overtly sexual in nature. more on this story

3 Inches Of Blood Recruit Fear Factory Member

3 Inches Of Blood have announced that their new bass player is Bryon Stroud of Fear Factory and formerly of Strapping Young Lad.

Century Media sent over these details: Stroud and 3 Inches Of Blood have been working together on a variety of things, and Stroud is beyond pleased shift his involvement to a creative level. "I am super stoked to let everyone know that I have joined my brothers in 3IOB," exclaims Stroud.

"We are busy rehearsing for touring of the new record Long Live Heavy Metal . The band asked me to come on board as manager last year. We rehearse in my bike shop, I've toured with them in the past and being involved in many aspects of the new record has been extremely gratifying for me. I'm looking forward and see a great future for this band. I'll see you all on tour this year." more on this story

Theory of a Deadman Spring Tour With Pop Evil And Stellar Revival

Theory of a Deadman will be hitting the road in April for a North American headlining tour.

The trek is set to kick off on April 9 in Tallahassee, FL and will feature support from Pop Evil and Stellar Revival.

Theory of a Deadman will be touring in support of their fourth studio album The Truth Is… which was released last July by Roadrunner Records. more on this story

The Polyphonic Spree Release New Song

The Polyphonic Spree have released a new single called "What Would You Do?," ahead of the kick off of their comeback tour.

"What Would You Do?" will be available digitally in both MP3 and FLAC lossless formats, as well as a regular black 7" vinyl release and a limited-edition colored 7" vinyl release that includes a signed and numbered silkscreened print/cover by GRR house artist Nevada Hill. The vinyl releases will include a surprise B-side from the Spree, not available elsewhere. All formats are available here.

The Polyphonic Spree will kick off their first tour since 2007 in Tulsa on Feb 6. An initial run through the Southeast continues through Feb 16; West Coast and East Coast dates are coming later in the spring. more on this story

Bachman and Turner To Appear In New Will Ferrell Movie

(Gibson) Bachman and Turner have landed roles in a new movie starring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis. The classic rockers will appear and perform in Dog Fight, a film being directed by Jay Roach (Austin Powers), according to Winnipeg Free Press.

In the film, Ferrell and Galifianakis play North Carolina congressional candidates battling for the same seat. Guitarist Randy Bachman and bassist Fred Turner show up to play their hit "Takin' Care of Business" at the winner's celebration rally. "It was really hard work, long days and about 200 people on set," the band's manager Gilles Paquin said. "But it's one of the biggest movies of the year and it's great positioning for the band."

The movie also stars John Lithgow, Dan Aykroyd and Dylan McDermott, and is due to be released later in 2012. more on this story

Alice Cooper Guests On His Son's New EP

(Gibson) Runaway Phoenix, a hard rock band fronted by Alice Cooper's son, has released their first EP. Titled, simply, The E.P., the 6-song disc features Alice himself as a guest on the opening track, "Tug of War."

Formed in 2002, the Phoenix, Arizona-based group describes their sound as "AC/DC meets The Yardbirds who slept with Led Zeppelin who had an illegitimate love child." Other influences cited by the band include The Who, Neil Diamond, Audioslave and, of course, Alice Cooper.

Dash Cooper, who handles lead vocal duties for the group, isn't the only member of the Cooper clan who's entered the entertainment business. Actress/singer Calico Cooper has been a guest on several of her father's albums, and has long been an integral part of his stage show. Calico's younger sister, Sonora Cooper, is said to have similar aspirations. more on this story

Coldplay and Mumford & Sons For Secret Policeman's Ball

(Gibson) Coldplay are set to join Mumford & Sons as part of the lineup to be featured at this year's edition of The Secret Policeman's Ball. The British-based music and comedy festival will be staged at New York City's Radio Music Hall on March 4.

The concert, which had its inception in 1976, benefits the human right group, Amnesty International. As reported by the Associated Press, Amnesty International spokesperson Andy Hackman said the organization wanted to present the event on a grander scale this year, to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the human rights group.

"That phrase, 'human rights,' has lost meaning in some ways," Hackman said. "That's why we want to demonstrate the power and the joy that free speech can bring to us all. It's really just using these amazing, talented people to demonstrate the power [and] what a force of good free speech is." more on this story

Neil Young Hopes To Release Two New Albums With Crazy Horse This Year

(Gibson) Neil Young has confirmed that he's completed a new album with Crazy Horse, and that a second album with the band is "in progress." The veteran rocker said he hopes to release both discs this year.

Young made the revelation at the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, were he and director Jonathan Demme are presenting Journeys, their latest concert documentary, which was filmed in Toronto in May 2011.

Members of Crazy Horse last recorded with Young on his 2003 album, Greendale. The last Young album on which the entire band was featured was 1996's Broken Arrow. In a 2005 interview with Performing Songwriter, Young described his work with Crazy Horse as "cosmic," and as something he treated with "a special kind of respect." "My work with Crazy Horse stands alone, in its own way," he said. "Sometimes it needs to be replenished, sometimes it needs to be revisited, and sometimes it needs to be left alone." more on this story

Iggy Pop Will Be This Year's Record Store Day Ambassador

(Gibson) Iggy Pop has agreed to take on the role of official ambassador for Record Store Day 2012.

Set to take place on April 21, Record Store Day celebrates the virtues of independent record store establishments, and is marked by special shows and one-day sales events.

In a prepared statement, Pop said, "I got my name, my musical education and my personality all from working at a record store during my tender years. Small indie shops have always been a mix of theater and laboratory. In the '50s and '60s the teen kids used to gather after school at these places to listen free to the latest singles and see if they liked the beat. You could buy the disc you liked for 79 cents and if you were lucky meet a chick. Clerks in these places became managers (like Brian Epstein), label heads (Jac Holzman) and Faces on album covers (like me)." more on this story

Robbers On High Street Set EP Release

Robbers On High Street will release a new EP, entitled Anything Could Happen, on April 17th.

It will be release both digitally and as a limited edition, hand pressed vinyl. CD fans need not apply.

The EP was originally only available via PledgeMusic to those who pre-ordered the group's third LP, Hey There Golden Hair and pledged for other exclusive items, according to Tijuana Gift Shop. more on this story

Middle Class Rut Announce Dates With Chevelle and Janus

Middle Class Rut have announced a series of tour dates with Chevelle and Janus in February and March.

Beginning February 24 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the band will make their way around the Midwest and East Coast, with stops in New York, Providence, Atlantic City, Nashville, and more.

Middle Class Rut is touring in support of their debut album, No Name No Color. more on this story

The Casualties and Toxic Holocaust Hardcore Road Warriors Tour

The Casualties have tapped Toxic Holocaust to support them on their Hardcore Road Warriors tour of North America which kicks off on February 27th.

Jake (guitars) states: "Hey everyone, so 2012 kicks in with the best line-up of heavy hardcore punk and thrash bands to tour yet. We are honored to share the stage with The English Dogs after listening to them on vinyl for so many f**kin years. Equally as brutal as that is doing even more dates with our new booze hound friends Toxic Holocaust! It's gonna be one big tornado of destruction to say the least.

"All you subculture maniacs will also be happy to know that after a year of riffing out songs and recent months rehearsing religiously we are happy to announce that The Casualties will be recording a new album this April for a summer release. Close friends that have heard demos said that these songs are faster, harder and a great sound to end the world to. See you all on the road soon. Over and Out." more on this story

Dir En Grey North American Tour and Reissue

Dir En Grey have announced North American tour plans both solo headliners and as part of The Still Reckless Tour and have also announces plans for a U.S. reissue of their album Uroboros.

MSO sent over these details: The Still Reckless Tour also featuring Asking Alexandria, Trivium, I See Stars, Motionless In White and The Amity Affliction. They have also plotted a pair of solo headlining shows in Seattle, WA on 3/7 and St. Petersburg, FL on 3/20

The band has plans for the U.S. release of Uroboros [Remastered & Expanded], a reissue of their experimental 2008 album which brings fans 14 tracks, including the long version of "Sa Bir" that was only heard live before; the exclusive version of "Bugaboo" that was previously only available on the limited first press analog release; "Dozing Green" and "Glass Skin" with Japanese lyrics; and "Hydra -666-" the coupling track on single "Dozing Green." With the return of sound engineer Tue Madsen, who worked on the band's latest album Dum Spiro Spero, the sound of Uroboros is reborn. [release date not mentioned in the announcement.] more on this story

Reborn of Death Tour with Suffocation, Cerebral Bore, Cattle Decapitation and More

Cerebral Bore are heading to the UK in March for a tour with Suffocation, Cattle Decapitation, Hate, Blood Red Throne and Sephirah.

The "Reborn of Death" 2012 European tour is scheduled to kick off on March 13th in London, just days after Cerebral Bore finish up a North American trek with Goatwhore and Hate Eternal.

Cerebral Bore guitarist Paul McGuire comments: "We will be setting off for this tour roughly 12 hours after arriving home from our US tour, so we are either going to be on top form, or worn out and dead! Bet your tits it's not gonna be the latter - we're gonna pummel it nightly, and maybe even treat our fans to some brand new material!" more on this story

Former Mortiis Star To Debut at Art Fair

TCM sent over some news which should be of interest to UK based fans of Mortiis: Former drummer Svein Traserud (a.k.a. Leo Troy) who left the band in 2007 to pursue his interest in the contemporary arts, will make his UK debut at the third Parallax AF International Art Fair in London in February.

He will be exhibiting a range of his works at the event which takes place at Chelsea Town Hall, Kings Road, London, UK from Thursday 16th to Saturday 18th February 2012. Entry is free to the public.

The Parallax AF International Art Fair showcases modern artists from around the world and will this year feature works from the UK, USA, West & East Europe, Asia, South America, Turkey, UAE and Oceania.